Akbar's Rockets - Page 2

Originally posted by: Bindu_nhbr

Thanks for sharing Donjas.

This shows how advanced the Military was during Akbar's reign. I've never imagined the usage of rockets,explosives and other innovative weapons in the 16th century.Its much more than sword and bow as you said.Now I understand why Akbar always tasted victory in the battle field.

Akbar is a man ahead of time in this area too👏👏.I am reading many things about his greatness in the forum from various people and must say he was not given the title of Akbar just like that.He is great indeed.

Originally posted by: adiana12

Donnas one reason why the Portuguese and Dutch and other external forces could not foray into the land of Hindustan during this period was because Akbar was superior and supreme on land. And had he lived for some more years he may have created a naval force as well. He had already started working on ships and boats but couldn't complete.

adi, true that! he would have had command on seas as well if he had lived few more years and that tells us a lot about his far sightedness, indeed he was a rare gem and what is shown in JA is a complete stupid juvenile form of script made to entertain people in the name of romance

loved the last line..'the innovative thinking of alexander and the mughal emperor Akbar made them realize that the elephants being used as a war weapon needs to be neutralized!..and that is why they both were great isn't it?

Originally posted by: ghalibmirza

loved the last line..'the innovative thinking of alexander and the mughal emperor Akbar made them realize that the elephants being used as a war weapon needs to be neutralized!..and that is why they both were great isn't it?

Originally posted by: Donjas

Thank you Mandy for responding. You remember what the narrator said about Akbar in the Documentary-The Story of India.

He had said that it was Akbar's rationality which set him apart from every other monarch of that era, even Elizabeth Tudor. Rationality and science go hand in glove.

exactly donjas! the more i read about him the more i wonder about this man, the serial has not affected my thinking and never will..but i would love to watch a serial or a movie just made on him and his achievements more than his personal life of which not much known about..i hope a hollywood script writer comes up with such a concept and makes a movie on him!

Dear Donjas,

What amazing nuggets of information you dig up! This is truly the kind of stuff to make one sit up. Missiles in the 16th century, that too low flying ones like ground hugging cruise missiles to neutralise elephants!

Akbar was clearly a ruler whose mind saw decades ahead, and he was ceaselessly on the lookout for innovations that could improve the military capability and the administrative efficiency of his sultanat. He identified, absorbed and assimilated such innovations wherever he found them. He would have felt right at home with the young entrepreneurs of today, and they with him!

It is the greatest of pities that he died at 63, when he could have easily lived for another 20 years, in which case he would, as Adiana has noted, definitely have developed a navy. That would also have cut short Jahangir's reign correspondingly, which would have been a subsidiary benefit! 😉

I shall go back and see the whole of that documentary tomorrow.

Shyamala

Originally posted by: sashashyam

Dear Donjas,

What amazing nuggets of information you dig up! This is truly the kind of stuff to make one sit up. Missiles in the 16th century, that too low flying ones like ground hugging cruise missiles to neutralise elephants!

Akbar was clearly a ruler whose mind saw decades ahead, and he was ceaselessly on the lookout for innovations that could improve the military capability and the administrative efficiency of his sultanat. He identified, absorbed and assimilated such innovations wherever he found them. He would have felt right at home with the young entrepreneurs of today, and they with him!

It is the greatest of pities that he died at 63, when he could have easily lived for another 20 years, in which case he would, as Adiana has noted, definitely have developed a navy. That would also have cut short Jahangir's reign correspondingly, which would have been a subsidiary benefit! 😉

I shall go back and see the whole of that documentary tomorrow.

Shyamala

I also saw the documentary...it was amazing...I had also heard that in the American national anthem, when they speak of the rocket's red glare...they had visions of the rockets from India (Akbar's rockets) that had something to do with the line in the American national anthem.!!

Very interesting information! I am no war aficionado, but that must have made a very impressive sight. A 16th century version of creating " shock and Awe" in the hearts of the opponents.



Preeti

Yes, Preeti, the Cholas had an impressive navy, and they went beyond Sri Lanka and our immediate neighbourhood to as far as Indochina, for trade. They were the only Indian emperors to hold territory overseas, ie outside India.

A powerful Mughal navy would have kept the European colonisers in their place, and not let the East India Company take over India bit by bit. See what the Sidis were able to do for 450 years from their stronghold in Janjira! But sadly, your last para is spot on.

Maham was so right when she says Jalal ek aisa sipahi hai jo sadiyon mein ek bar paida hota hai. To sipahi, I would add samrat.

Shyamala

Originally posted by: Coolpree

Very interesting information! I am no war aficionado, but that must have made a very impressive sight. A 16th century version of creating " shock and Awe" in the hearts of the opponents.

As far as having a navy is concerned, I am absolutely shocked Akbar or at least his successors did not have one. I agree with Adiana and Shyamala that had he lived longer he probably would have had one...he did after all have some very large ships going for trade and pilgrimage.

BTW: 500 yrs before Akbar, the Chola dynasty of Tamil Nadu had a powerful Navy that they use very effectively for military conquest to Sri Lanka and the far east. As far as I know they are the first eastern empire to have a formal , powerful navy. That's a staggering achievement by any standards. So the technology was present in the region I assume...why did the mughals not develop a powerful navy I wonder.

A powerful navy may have changed the equation in a place like the Deccan especially for Shah Jehan and Aurangzeb maybe? It only goes to show that Akbar did all the hard work and his successors just withered the advantage away slowly but surely.

Preeti

Originally posted by: sashashyam

Dear Donjas,

What amazing nuggets of information you dig up! This is truly the kind of stuff to make one sit up. Missiles in the 16th century, that too low flying ones like ground hugging cruise missiles to neutralise elephants!

Akbar was clearly a ruler whose mind saw decades ahead, and he was ceaselessly on the lookout for innovations that could improve the military capability and the administrative efficiency of his sultanat. He identified, absorbed and assimilated such innovations wherever he found them. He would have felt right at home with the young entrepreneurs of today, and they with him!

It is the greatest of pities that he died at 63, when he could have easily lived for another 20 years, in which case he would, as Adiana has noted, definitely have developed a navy. That would also have cut short Jahangir's reign correspondingly, which would have been a subsidiary benefit! 😉

I shall go back and see the whole of that documentary tomorrow.

Shyamala